A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation. <Previous Message · Easy read/print edition Wednesday, January 9, 2008  Great Smoky Mountains Click on photo to enlarge  Listen to this message on your audio player."Forever God" "Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting You are God" (Psalm 90:2). Over the last several days we have visited family and friends in North Carolina and are now in Gatlinburg, Tennessee right on the border of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. The last time I visited this park I was about 12 years old so I am having a great time of reminiscing as we visit some of the same sites. This is the very first visit for Brooksyne and Ester and we are awestruck by the immense beauty of the massive mountain ranges. We are staying in a large resort that offered us an incentive to listen to their hour long (more like two hours) sales pitch with the express purpose that we would buy into their time share. The saleswoman had many years of experience and was quite persuasive throughout her presentation. Following our tour of the attractive facilities she took us out on the balcony. She pointed toward the breath-taking view of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park as she enthusiastically exclaimed, "Just look at this view. It will be here for your children and grandchildren forever." (She was correctly pointing out that the undisturbed beauty of the preserved national park will remain that way unlike the non-preserved hills all around Gatlinburg that are dotted with all kinds of development.) However when she confidently used the word "forever" I considered the true nature and definition of "forever" which is a whole lot longer than our kids and grandkids will be around on this tired earth! My thinking immediately took me to a more important locale than an attractive resort and even the grandeur of a beautiful mountain region created by God. A song sung in many churches comes to mind that declares in the chorus, "My God He was, my God He is, my God He's always gonna be." As we, through faith, ride out the tumultuous waves of life's ups and downs we need to regularly recall this absolute truth, "From everlasting to everlasting You are God." This truth is taught abundantly in the Scriptures. It expresses one of God's attributes or characteristics known as His "eternality". Theologically the eternality of God refers to His timeless nature. That God had no beginning, and will have no end. This is one of the foundational beliefs of Christianity. Our God surpasses time as we define it here on earth. The eternal, almighty God has revealed Himself to us and sent His only begotten Son to pay the price for our redemption as fallen sinners. He alone is from everlasting to everlasting. Let's praise Him today and rest in His steadfast care, no matter the turbulence of life we face on this day or in future days! He is forever God! My Savior loves, my Savior lives My Savior's always there for me My God He was, my God He is My God He's always gonna be Be encouraged today, Stephen & Brooksyne Weber Daily Prayer: Almighty God, all the universe declares Your glory who creates, sustains, and watches over Your creation. Though the earth will someday be destroyed You created us with a soul that will exist eternally. While the foundations are being destroyed here on earth we, the redeemed, find great comfort and immense hope in Your eternal foundation. It is from eternity past and will exist in eternity future, with no beginning and no end! Only a loving God like You would choose to include us in Your vast plan and find delight in us, in all our humanness. You are worthy to receive glory, honor, and praise in this life and for all eternity. Amen. Personal Note: Some curious readers are wondering if we chose to buy into the time share. We did not. We will return to PA tomorrow. We have been unable to get these messages out on schedule due to lack of internet in our room. |
Administration Information  Stephen, Brooksyne and Ester Weber "We want to encourage you daily in your walk with Christ!" Personal Ministry Update Revised 11/28/07  Each weekday morning Brooksyne and I prepare these messages and distribute them at no cost to you and many others all over the world. Would you please consider a financial offering to support us in this encouragement ministry? Thanks! See here for details. (2008 YTD financial offerings 1/4/2008 $10.00)Join: To receive these free "Daily Encouragement" devotionals each Monday-Friday through email see this page to subscribe. You can also subscribe to the rss feed. Cancel: To remove your address from this mailing list merely use the link automatically placed by the mailing list software at the very bottom of each message. Weekly Version: The weekly version is designed for those who do not check their email regularly. It is merely the Friday message with a link to previous messages. To receive the free weekly version, send a blank email to this address. (To change addresses cancel your old address and then join again using your new address.) Please feel free to pass this message on! "A Daily Prayer" - The daily prayer from each daily encouragement message. "A Little Foolishness" - A collection of humorous and satirical stories drawn mostly from our years of ministry, as well as my sometimes fertile imagination. "Clear Minded" - Longer, periodic articles on specific issues impacting the church.  Daily Encouragement Net is an affiliate of Christianbook.com Any orders placed to Christian Book Distributers using this link or any specific product link to a recommended resource in a daily encouragement message will help our Daily Encouragement ministry through a small commission on the sale. Thank you for using these links when purchasing online through CBD!Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and I make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and to prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity." How to become a child of God Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission; and the King James Version. © Copyright 2008 Stephen C. Weber - All Rights Reserved Daily Encouragement Net Stephen & Brooksyne Weber 495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552 Contact us  |
